The present invention is concerned with novel retinoids of the formula EQU Ret-OA I
wherein
Ret is the acyl residue of a retinoid carboxylic acid, A is a residue (--CHR)--CH.sub.2 O).sub.n R.sup.1, (--CH.sub.2).sub.m SR.sup.1, (--CH.sub.2).sub.m XR.sup.2, (--CH.sub.2).sub.m --Het, --N(R.sup.2).sub.2, --C(R.sup.4).sub.2 OC(O)R.sup.3, --CH.sub.2 --CH(OR.sup.2)CH.sub.2 OR.sup.2 or --CH(CH.sub.2 OR.sup.2).sub.2 ;
R is hydrogen or methyl,
R.sup.1 is hydrogen, C.sub.1-6 -alkyl or C.sub.1-6 -alkanoyl,
R.sup.2 is C.sub.1-6 -alkyl,
R.sup.3 is C.sub.1-6 -alkyl, C.sub.1-6 -alkoxy, di-C.sub.1-6 -alkylamino, phenyl, substituted phenyl, styryl or styryl or 2-benzoyl-phenoxy-C.sub.1-6 -alkyl substituted in the phenyl residue;
R.sup.4 is hydrogen, C.sub.1-6 -alkyl or phenyl;
X is &gt;SO or &gt;SO.sub.2,
Het is the residue of a N-heterocyclic ring,
n is a whole number of 3-40 and
m is a whole number of 1-4, with the proviso that R.sup.1 is C.sub.1-6 -alkyl or C.sub.1-6 -alkanoyl when A is a --CH.sub.2 SR.sup.1.
Under the term retinoid carboxylic acids there are to be understood hereinafter compounds which contain the nonatetraenoic acid residue present in retinoic acid or the carboxyphenyl-propen-2-yl residue derived therefrom by cyclization, which residues can also be substituted. Such retinoid carboxylic acids are described e.g. in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4 215 215, 4 054 589, 4 326 055 and 4 476 056. Of particular interest are retinoid carboxylic acids of the formulae EQU Z.sup.1 --CH.dbd.CH--C(CH.sub.3).dbd.CH--CH.dbd.CH--C(CH.sub.3).dbd.CH--COOH(a) EQU and EQU Z.sup.2 --C(CH.sub.3).dbd.CH--Ph--COOH (b)
in which Z.sup.1 is a substituted phenyl or cyclohexenyl residue, Z.sup.2 is a substituted bicyclic carbocyclic or heterocyclic residue and Ph is a phenylene residue and in which the double bonds in the polyene chain of (a) can have the E- or Z-configuration.
Examples of substituted phenyl residues Z.sup.1 are phenyl residues which are substituted, preferably multiply, by C.sub.1-6 -alkyl, C.sub.1-6 -alkoxy, halogen or trifluoromethoxy. Examples of substituted cyclohexenyl residues are 2,6,6-trimethylcyclohexen-1-yl, 2,6,6-trimethyl-3-hydroxycyclohexen-1-yl and 2,6,6-trimethyl-3-oxo-cyclohexen-1-yl. Examples of substituted bicyclic carbocyclic residues are 1,1,3,3-tetramethyl-5-indanyl and 5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-5,5,8,8-tetramethyl-2-naphthyl. Examples of bicyclic heterocyclic residues are 4,4-dimethyl-6-chromanyl, 4,4-dimethyl-6-thiochromanyl, 4,4-dimethyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-6-quinolinyl and 4,4-dimethyl-6-thiochromanyl 1,1-dioxide.